Announcement / News
The global pandemic has forced many companies to embrace a new working style. At the same time, flaws revealed in traditional office designs have meant these offices are no longer-fit for all purposes: they do not meet the changing needs of employees or are unable to accommodate new work behaviours. Ronald Lu and Partners (RLP) and insight partner BEHAVE are predicting that these new and emerging work trends will transform the workplace and have thus reimagined the future of the office environment, creating “Mindplace”. This new office space concept will improve work efficiency, focus on sustainability and cater to the holistic needs of employees.
“The pandemic has shown us that being physically present in an office environment is not always necessary. With this in mind, RLP and BEHAVE have designed Mindplace to be a modern office blueprint. Its features include touch-free technology, open balconies, transformative office spaces, private toilets, indoor and outdoor greening, and an increase in collaborative workspaces that consider the needs of employees. From the perspective of the company, when employees choose a career, they will focus more on the overall experience – and Mindplace is designed to be an attractive workplace to help companies recruit talent,” says Bryant Lu, Vice Chairman of RLP.
Touch-Free Pathway
Employees are able to flow through the office environment, from the main entrance to their work station, without touching any buttons or handles. This “sanitary corridor” has been carefully designed with health-related safety measures such as discreet temperature testing and UV disinfection. Operated by LED sensors or mobile phone applications, contactless technology will allow employees to pass directly from the elevator to their desks.
Open balconies
Open balcony design will make fresh air and green elements more accessible, creating a more fluid indoor and outdoor environment that can significantly improve the quality of life at work. In the autumn and winter, these open balconies can reduce air conditioning usage, saving energy and costs while creating a positive effect on the urban climate.
Transformable office spaces
Personal space and social distancing requirements will carry over from the pandemic to the office of the future, requiring intra-office configurations to be more flexible and adaptable. Traditional office spaces still prize personal offices and permanent cubicle spaces – despite an increase in demand for collaborative breakout spaces. In Mindplace, communication between colleagues will be facilitated by a significant increase to facilitate creativity and knowledge sharing.
In addition, the overall configuration of the office space needs to be reimagined to accommodate new needs – more online meetings, for example. Translucent floor-to-ceiling partitions create safe physical barriers and can be raised or lowered to change ceiling height, modulate light or partition spaces. Pre-programmed scenarios create instant spatial transformations, allowing for in-person meetings, co-working spaces, virtual interactions or silent, solitary concentration zones.
Personalised sanitary facilities
In Mindplace, independent private bathroom cubicles will replace conventional bathroom stalls and shared sinks. Between each use, UVC technology will automatically disinfect surfaces and kill germsfor a more hygienic experience that also reduces cultural and gender bias in the workplace. At the same time, non-contact access and zero-touch facilities can ensure personal privacy and hygiene.
Increased indoor and outdoor biodiversity
Greenery in and around the workplace improves both the indoor and outdoor microclimate and has a positive effect on the physical health and wellbeing of employees and visitors. Mindplace will incorporate a diversity of local and appropriate plant species in its multiple green spaces – balconies, sky gardens, window gardens, green walls and interior greenery.
Curated atria
The atrium design creates significant connection spots and places where people can socialise. Mindplace design includes spacious, open atria with high ceilings where people can gather, wait, or relax and exchange ideas. These can also be utilized as event spaces to host conferences, forums or other live events.
Physical and mental health and recreational facilities
Future workplaces will not only support the economic needs of companies, but also the mental and physical needs of employees. Mindplace will allow workers to use their time more flexibly to increase productivity, making numerous on-site amenities available. These may include health clubs, yoga studios, rooftop running trails, swimming pools, and even public gardens that promote relaxation, conversation and collaboration.
Bryant Lu outlines the firm’s vision, “The workplace of the future gives individuals much more than ‘a place to work’ – Mindplace is a holistic place where work, play, creation and socialisation occur together, in comfort, safety and tranquillity. At the same time, the redesigned working 7 environment creates lasting value that will generate long-term economic and health benefits for companies and individuals alike.”
Sources & Credits
About Ronald Lu & Partners
Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP) is a design-led architecture firm with a vision to design a better life and redefine sustainability. We have over 550 trusted advisors across Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. RLP is an industry changer, our focuses and areas of excellence are many: transit-oriented development (TOD), transportation, mixed use, retail, dining and entertainment (RDE), civic and community, culture, Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing, education, healthcare and wellness, luxury residential and interior design services. RLP has collaborated with over a thousand international partners and has been involved in award-winning projects all over the globe.
About BEHAVE
BEHAVE is a collection of minds and experts who are passionate about a better future. We identify challenges and derive future-ready solutions by using human-centric perspective to transform our environment. By being curious and collaborative, we see things through the eyes of others, envisioning a world where wellbeing is fulfilled through better, smarter design.
For more information, interviews, high resolution images and a press kit, please contact Gusto Luxe:
Alicia Yung / [email protected]
Diane Chow / [email protected]
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